# Best Colleges in Pennsylvania

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: By State
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-colleges-pennsylvania

## Methodology

Composite score for institutions in Pennsylvania

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

When considering higher education in Pennsylvania, students and families face a diverse array of choices among 50 institutions. Each of these schools shares a commitment to providing quality education, but they differ significantly in key outcomes like graduation rates and post-graduation earnings. For instance, the average earnings among graduates in this list stand at $68,681, highlighting the potential return on investment in a Pennsylvania degree.

The schools at the top of this list excel in metrics that matter most to prospective students: graduation rates, earnings potential, student debt, and overall completion rates. As you explore the data, you'll notice that top-performing institutions like the University of Pennsylvania and Carnegie Mellon University not only attract students but also help them succeed financially after graduation. Weighing these factors is essential when making such an important life decision.

Take, for example, the University of Pennsylvania and Haverford College. While both schools offer excellent education, their outcomes tell different stories. The University of Pennsylvania boasts a remarkable 97% graduation rate and an average earning of $111,371, while Haverford College, despite its strong academics, has a graduation rate of 90% and lower average earnings of $79,966. These details matter when considering which school aligns best with your goals and financial situation.

## Key Findings

- University of Pennsylvania graduates earn an average of $111,371, significantly higher than Haverford College's $79,966.
- The graduation rate for the University of Pennsylvania is 97%, compared to 90% at Haverford College.
- Carnegie Mellon students face a net price of $31,944, while Lafayette College's net price is $34,433.
- The average graduation rate across all schools in this list is 63%, indicating a wide variance in student success.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-pennsylvania) | Philadelphia, PA | 97% | $111,371 | $28,699 | $15,715 | 0.14x |
| 2 | [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/carnegie-mellon-university) | Pittsburgh, PA | 93% | $114,862 | $31,944 | $21,750 | 0.19x |
| 3 | [Swarthmore College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/swarthmore-college) | Swarthmore, PA | 93% | $80,257 | $23,149 | $17,500 | 0.22x |
| 4 | [Haverford College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/haverford-college) | Haverford, PA | 90% | $79,966 | $25,314 | $13,621 | 0.17x |
| 5 | [Lafayette College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lafayette-college) | Easton, PA | 88% | $91,410 | $34,433 | $16,000 | 0.18x |
| 6 | [Lehigh University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lehigh-university) | Bethlehem, PA | 89% | $105,584 | $36,931 | $21,960 | 0.21x |
| 7 | [Bryn Mawr College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bryn-mawr-college) | Bryn Mawr, PA | 84% | $75,217 | $31,759 | $25,000 | 0.33x |
| 8 | [Villanova University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/villanova-university) | Villanova, PA | 92% | $100,423 | $43,756 | $25,874 | 0.26x |
| 9 | [Franklin and Marshall College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/franklin-and-marshall-college) | Lancaster, PA | 85% | $76,124 | $36,425 | $19,000 | 0.25x |
| 10 | [Bucknell University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bucknell-university) | Lewisburg, PA | 86% | $93,807 | $40,766 | $27,000 | 0.29x |
| 11 | [Gettysburg College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/gettysburg-college) | Gettysburg, PA | 83% | $71,517 | $31,490 | $26,999 | 0.38x |
| 12 | [Muhlenberg College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/muhlenberg-college) | Allentown, PA | 81% | $69,107 | $28,905 | $25,455 | 0.37x |
| 13 | [Immaculata University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/immaculata-university) | Immaculata, PA | 68% | $75,701 | $24,258 | $27,000 | 0.36x |
| 14 | [West Chester University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania) | West Chester, PA | 70% | $61,258 | $23,331 | $23,500 | 0.38x |
| 15 | [Holy Family University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/holy-family-university) | Philadelphia, PA | 61% | $62,235 | $13,143 | $25,125 | 0.4x |
| 16 | [Dickinson College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/dickinson-college) | Carlisle, PA | 82% | $70,204 | $37,607 | $19,000 | 0.27x |
| 17 | [Washington & Jefferson College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/washington-jefferson-college) | Washington, PA | 70% | $67,918 | $25,002 | $27,000 | 0.4x |
| 18 | [Allegheny College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/allegheny-college) | Meadville, PA | 70% | $62,069 | $22,940 | $27,000 | 0.43x |
| 19 | [Williamson College of the Trades](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/williamson-college-of-the-trades) | Media, PA | 74% | N/A | $1,545 | N/A | N/A |
| 20 | [Ursinus College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ursinus-college) | Collegeville, PA | 75% | $73,721 | $30,536 | $27,000 | 0.37x |
| 21 | [East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/east-stroudsburg-university-of-pennsylvania) | East Stroudsburg, PA | 44% | $56,148 | $18,134 | $24,218 | 0.43x |
| 22 | [Millersville University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/millersville-university-of-pennsylvania) | Millersville, PA | 56% | $55,246 | $20,787 | $23,507 | 0.43x |
| 23 | [Lycoming College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lycoming-college) | Williamsport, PA | 60% | $56,210 | $19,140 | $27,000 | 0.48x |
| 24 | [University of Scranton](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-scranton) | Scranton, PA | 80% | $74,652 | $32,568 | $27,000 | 0.36x |
| 25 | [Seton Hill University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/seton-hill-university) | Greensburg, PA | 69% | $51,748 | $22,204 | $27,000 | 0.52x |
| 26 | [La Salle University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/la-salle-university) | Philadelphia, PA | 58% | $67,416 | $19,409 | $25,000 | 0.37x |
| 27 | [Juniata College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/juniata-college) | Huntingdon, PA | 71% | $56,918 | $23,988 | $27,000 | 0.47x |
| 28 | [Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/shippensburg-university-of-pennsylvania) | Shippensburg, PA | 54% | $56,351 | $23,726 | $25,000 | 0.44x |
| 29 | [Reading Area Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/reading-area-community-college) | Reading, PA | 30% | $39,082 | $9,228 | $8,750 | 0.22x |
| 30 | [Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/indiana-university-of-pennsylvania-main-campus) | Indiana, PA | 54% | $51,019 | $16,804 | $26,798 | 0.53x |
| 31 | [Kutztown University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/kutztown-university-of-pennsylvania) | Kutztown, PA | 54% | $53,775 | $21,331 | $26,000 | 0.48x |
| 32 | [Carlow University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/carlow-university) | Pittsburgh, PA | 58% | $51,051 | $20,786 | $25,500 | 0.5x |
| 33 | [Susquehanna University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/susquehanna-university) | Selinsgrove, PA | 78% | $61,723 | $28,819 | $27,000 | 0.44x |
| 34 | [Bucks County Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bucks-county-community-college) | Newtown, PA | 30% | $47,324 | $6,389 | $12,000 | 0.25x |
| 35 | [Moravian University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/moravian-university) | Bethlehem, PA | 71% | $61,860 | $30,670 | $26,793 | 0.43x |
| 36 | [Widener University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/widener-university) | Chester, PA | 66% | $70,920 | $25,759 | $27,000 | 0.38x |
| 37 | [Robert Morris University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/robert-morris-university) | Moon Township, PA | 66% | $62,105 | $23,003 | $26,950 | 0.43x |
| 38 | [Elizabethtown College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/elizabethtown-college) | Elizabethtown, PA | 77% | $62,399 | $26,598 | $27,000 | 0.43x |
| 39 | [Johnson College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/johnson-college) | Scranton, PA | 51% | $55,194 | $19,954 | $12,000 | 0.22x |
| 40 | [Waynesburg University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/waynesburg-university) | Waynesburg, PA | 63% | $58,537 | $18,235 | $27,000 | 0.46x |
| 41 | [Gwynedd Mercy University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/gwynedd-mercy-university) | Gwynedd Valley, PA | 58% | $67,145 | $27,483 | $25,000 | 0.37x |
| 42 | [Messiah University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/messiah-university) | Mechanicsburg, PA | 77% | $54,064 | $26,502 | $25,621 | 0.47x |
| 43 | [King's College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/kings-college) | Wilkes-Barre, PA | 60% | $59,498 | $23,093 | $27,000 | 0.45x |
| 44 | [Chatham University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/chatham-university) | Pittsburgh, PA | 65% | $52,410 | $29,954 | $23,250 | 0.44x |
| 45 | [Manor College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/manor-college) | Jenkintown, PA | 25% | $46,825 | $13,078 | $19,000 | 0.41x |
| 46 | [Gannon University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/gannon-university) | Erie, PA | 68% | $58,845 | $22,553 | $27,000 | 0.46x |
| 47 | [La Roche University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/la-roche-university) | Pittsburgh, PA | 57% | $52,341 | $20,794 | $25,000 | 0.48x |
| 48 | [Lebanon Valley College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lebanon-valley-college) | Annville, PA | 69% | $62,621 | $26,979 | $27,000 | 0.43x |
| 49 | [Lehigh Carbon Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lehigh-carbon-community-college) | Schnecksville, PA | 29% | $42,436 | $9,203 | $11,000 | 0.26x |
| 50 | [Pennsylvania Highlands Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pennsylvania-highlands-community-college) | Johnstown, PA | 39% | $38,752 | $6,200 | $11,000 | 0.28x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Colleges in Pennsylvania." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-colleges-pennsylvania

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.